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Dec 2, 2015

Review: History of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt

This is the second book I have read written by Jacob Abbot, the first being History of Julius Caesar. The first part of the book History of Cleopatra Queen of Egypt gave detailed information about the Ptolemies. How they came to power and more information about Cleopatra's father his rise and fall and regaining his title by the help of Romans.

The author had substantiated the bewitching beauty and her intelligence of Cleopatra in many chapters. After the death of Julius Caesar, Cleopatra who is now a Queen but still had dangerous threats to her throne. Then Mark Antony comes to the scene who has been captivated by her beauty and falls to her charms and becomes a slave bounded by invisible chain.

Ego clash of Octavius (Augustus Caesar) and Mark Antony goes on like a never ending story, after Mark Antony leaves Octavia for Cleopatra the mind of Octavius changes, and the story ends like a Greek tragedy. Antony takes his life and so Cleopatra. Some historians mention Cleopatra as Queen who lived pompously and had many men to her life. What I feel if is she like that kind of a character, after Octavius storms into Alexandria and seizes the rule and plan to take Cleopatra as a memento for the triumphal train, why she did not mesmerizes Octavius as she had did like to Antony?

According to the book Cleopatra loved Antony very much, when Antony doubts about her that she may poison her, the following day she poisons the petals and keeps it in Antony's chaplet after dining Cleopatra takes petals from her chaplet and drinks and ask him to join, when he tries to drink she holds his hand and mentions that the petals are poisoned. I give the exact word as it is written, "You see now," said she, "how vain it is for you to watch against me. If it were possible for me to live without you, how easy it would be for me to devise ways and means to kill you." Then, to prove that her words were true, she ordered one of the servants to drink Antony's wine. He did so, and died before their sight in dreadful agony. This incident tells her how much she cares for Antony.

While reading this book, Elizabeth Taylor came to my mind as she had played Cleopatra in the movie.